Don ’t Tell God How Big Your Worries Are, Tell Your Worries How BIG God Is!
“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” Matthew 8:23-26
I can’t imagine what it must have felt like to be a disciple in the storm. The waves crashing over the edge of the small fishing boat. The wind howling from all sides. Fear and worry about whether or not they would survive the storm.
While we might not be the disciples on that fishing boat, we all worry about our own “wind” and “waves”. I remember the first time I came to Camp Greystone! I was giddy with excitement to meet my counselor and the girls in my cabin. However, as Opening Day got closer and closer, my excitement led to worry. What if the girls in my cabin didn’t like me? What if I didn’t like the camp food? What if I got homesick and missed my family? In the moment, my worries felt as big as the wind and the waves the disciples faced in that famous Bible story. But looking back, I see that God was there all along, calming the storm.
While Jesus told the disciples not to worry, we know it’s not that simple. Luckily, Jesus gives us the tools we need to handle our worries. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Whenever worry starts to creep into our minds, Jesus tells us first to pray. For me, this can be very difficult. Sometimes the wind and the waves feel so big, they are all I can focus on. My camp counselor from many years ago gave me helpful advice for remembering to pray when faced with worry. “Don’t tell God how big your worries are, tell your worries how big God is.”
After we pray, Jesus tells us to give thanks to the Lord. It’s not always easy to see the things you are most thankful for when your worry seems as big as the wind and the waves the disciples faced. But, we can choose to focus on the many blessings God has given us. The lessons I’ve learned at Camp Greystone equipped me to do this.
It’s like Jimboy always says, “keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.” Don’t focus on your worries, but instead look to the Lord. He is in the boat with you. Not every day is going to be without worries, but what truly matters is how we choose to face those worries. Will we fear the wind and the waves? Or will we pray and thank God for the ways in which he calms our storm?